Pay-to-play, the Oxendine way!
Why is this man smiling? Perhaps because he's taken hundreds of thousands of dollars in fat campaign contributions from the very industry he's supposed to regulate on behalf of the taxpayers of Georgia.
If you're an insurance company doing business in Georgia, life is good. Of course, if you're trying to afford health insurance in Georgia, it's not so easy - thanks to the insurance industry's best friend forever, gubernatoral candidate, and current state Insurance Commissioner, John Oxendine.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution recently called Oxendine out for taking illegal contibutions from insurance industry PACs. Of course, it's just a coincidence that a major player in those PACs was appointed by Oxendine to serve on a board that helps regulate insurance in Georgia.
- Oxendine took over $100K in illegal contributions from insurance PACs.
This year, a investigation by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution found that Oxendine received $120,000 in campaign cash for ten different PACs, all headed by the same man - Donald Watkins. Watkins, in turn, is a director of two different Georgia-based insurance companies, Admiral Life Insurance Co. and State Mutual Insurance, which are both run by Delos Yancey, III.1 2 The total amount in campaign money taken by Oxendine is almost ten times the legal limit.3
- Friends in high places: Oxendine puts Yancey on state board.
In addition to his work operating two insurance companies doing business in Georgia, Delos Yancey, III also heads up the Georgia Life and Health Insurance Guaranty Association4, an organization that manages the assets and policies of insurance companies that go belly-up. The GAIGA, operating behind closed doors, can demand millions from insurance companies and even take over their operations when the company is in financial jeopardy5. Yancey was first appointed to the Association in 1999 by his good friend and hunting buddy, John Oxendine.6
- When questioned about Yancey's suspicious appointment, Oxendine ducked, dodged, and misdirected.
Asked about putting Yancey on the Association, Oxendine pleaded that his hands were tied, saying that, "They’ve always been on the board...There's no way to take them off."7 Oxendine alleged that the law requires that at least one member of the Association must be a mutual insurance company and that Yancey's company, State Mutual, is the only mutual insurance company in Georgia.8 Oxendine, however, got this one wrong too. In fact, the law says only that two Georgia-based insurers must serve on the board.9 When asked to clarify, Oxendine and his mouthpieces stonewalled. They still haven't addressed Oxendine's misunderstanding of the Georgia insurance law he is supposed to enforce.
- Keeping it in the family...
In October, Oxendine's father, Judge Jim Oxendine, was fired from the board of the Roosevelt Warm Springs Rehabilitation Development Fund after he was caught routing almost $400,000.00 to a political consultant with ties to John Oxendine.10
- John "Oscar" Oxendine
In December 2009, a federal lawsuit revealed that Oxendine received $100,000 in contributions, including two trips to the Academy Awards, from Dr. Jeffrey Gallups, his practice, and members of his family. Oxendine interceded on Dr. Gallups' behalf in a dispute with Blue Cross Blue Shield.11
1. "Oxendine's big funder" Atlanta Journal-Constitution: 05/10/2009
2. "Did PAC giving violate the Ethic[sic]-in-Government Act?" Atlanta Journal-Constitution: 05/10/2008
3. Memorandum, Georgia State Ethics Commission, 02/24/09
4. "Oxendine donor gets key position" Atlanta Journal-Constitution: 05/31/2009
5. "About Us" Georgia Life & Health Insurance Guaranty Association: Accessed 10/12/09
6. "Oxendine donor gets key position" Atlanta Journal-Constitution: 05/31/2009
7, 8. "Oxendine offers explanation about appointment" Atlanta Journal-Constitution: 06/03.2009
9. O.C.G.A. § 33-38-6
10. "Former Judge Forced From Board of Non-Profit" 11Alive News: 10/14/2009
11. "Questions Over Oxendine's Trips" WSBTV: 12/16/2009
